


A Kinship of Leaves

by DawningStar



Category: Dreaming of Sunshine - Silver Queen
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-11
Updated: 2019-05-11
Packaged: 2020-03-01 05:05:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18793585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DawningStar/pseuds/DawningStar
Summary: Shikako thinks that finding a reanimated Hashirama is a great chance for Tenzou to meet him.  Tenzou is not so sure.





	A Kinship of Leaves

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MathIsMagic](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MathIsMagic/gifts).



Tenzou had realized years ago that being surprised at Shikako for pulling impossible stunts is like being surprised at water for being wet. There just isn’t enough time in the day for it. 

It has not therefore come as any particular surprise that she has a functional counter to the Edo Tensei technique prepared. A relief but not a surprise. 

With the battle abruptly ended, Tenzou has signaled the team that he’s going to scout, and maybe he won’t have to risk any actual questions about what right he has to be using mokuton. 

“Here’s someone you should meet!” 

Tenzou recognizes the danger at once. When Shikako puts on her brightest and most innocent voice, a wise shinobi knows to run. She picked up that tone from Kakashi-senpai, and no one has more experience with the warning system than Tenzou. 

As usual, the warning comes too late for escape. Shikako drops in front of Tenzou, grinning wide, dragging the First Hokage by the elbow. 

Well. The resurrected form of the First Hokage, who is crackled slightly around the edges and blinking dark eyes right at Tenzou in a polite but confused manner. 

So much for Tenzou’s best hopes of getting away. He wishes for the anonymity of his mask. If this had been an ANBU mission, at least he wouldn’t feel so vulnerable in front of the growing recognition on Hashirama-sama’s expressive and unsettlingly familiar face. 

“Let me introduce you to Tenzou-senpai,” Shikako says to Hashirama Senju, First Hokage of Konoha. “He’s a good friend, so you should be nice to him.” 

Tenzou wouldn’t have thought their occasional missions added up to any particular friendship, but Shikako seems to think of friendship with a kind of transitive property, such that someone who has been a friend to Kakashi-senpai is also her friend. In years of ANBU service, Tenzou has not seen this policy demonstrated in shinobi less eccentric than, say, Naruto. 

From Kakashi-senpai a declaration such as this would most likely have been said with the deepest of deadly sarcasm. Unlike her sensei, Shikako doesn’t mind a public statement of feelings; from her the words are an obvious warning. 

To the First Hokage. Caught between instant reactions of gratitude and dismay, Tenzou settles, as usual, for a kind of amused frustration. 

Shikako widens her grin and adds, “I’m sure you two have lots to say about trees.” She lets go of the First Hokage and steps back with a pleased nod. 

After the way she broke the summoner’s control, Tenzou can’t exactly say she shouldn’t be proud of herself, which is always the infuriating thing about Shikako. And also Kakashi-senpai. 

What even is the polite way to greet a deceased former Hokage? Shouldn’t he kneel or…? 

“It’s an honor to meet you, Tenzou,” Hashirama Senju-sama tells him with all appearance of sincerity. “Without your efforts, I might have hurt your teammates.” 

True enough...not that Shikako had needed very much distraction. “The honor is mine,” Tenzou ventures. Is that enough, can he leave? 

“I couldn’t help but notice your techniques.” 

And there’s the question. Tenzou has to blank his face with Root training or risk wincing. “Classified.” Which is true, even if it’s hardly a secret he’s capable of mokuton after desperately struggling to fight off the First Hokage for nearly five minutes. The battleground still bristles with oddly-shaped trees. 

“Oh,” Hashirama-sama says with far too much sad comprehension in his tone. 

Because if they were kin of any sort, if Tenzou were anything except a power grab designed by traitors, it wouldn’t be classified, would it? Tenzou turns to examine the remnants of their battle, pretending he has reason to look away. 

Hashirama-sama coughs. “You fought very well,” he says, enthusiasm perhaps a little forced to cover the awkward moment; Tenzou knows he’s no comparison at all to the First Hokage. “I never got to teach anyone with mokuton, but I tried to put as many techniques as I could into a scroll for Konoha’s future.” 

The existence of such a scroll is also classified, but since Tenzou fought back with the same techniques it’s much too late to deny the fact. “Thank you for that,” he says after a moment of struggle. 

Long ago, in Root, Tenzou learned how to kill with emotionless efficiency. At the same time, from Hashirama-sama’s records, Tenzou studied something besides death. He doesn’t know whether to say that without the notes on how to build bridges, how to grow a house people actually want to use, how to stretch mokuton into something that captures rather than kills, he isn’t sure who he would be. 

When he was very young, before he learned the complexities of clan ties and politics, he had sometimes hoped Hashirama-sama might have been proud of him. 

Now he only hopes that the Senju clan never finds his existence quite offensive enough to bother with ending it. 

Toward that goal, it’s hard to feel that the bright smile that the First Hokage bestows is a bad thing. “I’m glad that Konoha has someone with your skills,” he tells Tenzou, and there’s no false echo to the smile that Tenzou can see. “Using that wood clone to distract me was brilliant.” 

If not for the wood clone Tenzou wouldn’t have lasted past the first exchange of blows. He learned more tactics from sparring with Kakashi-senpai than anyone else. 

It would be nice if battle tactics were any use in getting out of this conversation. The praise is surely a hidden question. “I know I’ll never be anywhere near your level, Lord First.” Not in battle, not in leadership or ambition. 

Konoha has had entirely too many ambitious candidates to the Hokage hat who failed and grew bitter. Tenzou isn’t planning to join their number. 

“Don’t underestimate yourself!” The brisk encouraging tone catches Tenzou off guard. Hashirama-sama makes a peculiar flailing gesture, smile undimmed. “Scrolls can’t teach everything. I’d be delighted to talk about anything you still have trouble with.” 

Every technique that Tenzou struggles with jostles for room at the front of his mind, but he doesn’t give voice to any of them. “Are you certain?” 

Surely this isn’t the kind of training that the First Hokage would want to offer a stranger. 

Sadness clouds the First Hokage’s face once more. “If you’re a shinobi of Konoha, it doesn’t bother me what family you claim. Or can’t claim.” 

Tenzou has wanted to hear something like this for long enough that he checks for genjutsu by instinct. 

“I would be grateful for your advice on how to handle bijuu-level chakra,” he admits. Naruto is doing very well, but as the backup plan, Tenzou would be happier if he were more confident in his own skills. 

“Ah!” Hashirama-sama says, brightening. “That one takes practice, but I’m sure you can pick it up.” 

“Have fun,” Shikako advises, backing away three more steps. “I’d stay, but I have exciting seal things to learn.” 

And she’s gone. 

That’s going to be trouble, Tenzou knows. But all in all, he’d rather have Shikako’s brand of genius trouble on his side than not. 

“Oh, dear,” the First Hokage murmurs in a tone of alarmed recognition. 

He would know the sound of inspired troublemaking geniuses better than most people, Tenzou assumes. “Let’s go and check on her in ten minutes,” he suggests. 

Ten minutes in which Tenzou can train his mokuton with the First Hokage. He doesn’t know whether to thank Shikako or warn Kakashi-senpai what she’s getting up to. 

It’ll have to be both.


End file.
